Tigers' continuing barbarism

THE cold-blooded, brutal killing of two school principals in the North, further underscores the degenerate criminality of the LTTE.

We roundly and unreservedly condemn these barbaric acts by the LTTE and warn it that inhuman behaviour of this kind would only further undermine peace prospects in Sri Lanka.

If the LTTE believes that its life-denying, sadistic and repressive conduct would have no impact on our chances of reviving the peace effort, it is sadly mistaken because what the Lankan State is aiming at is a just peace and not the so-called peace of the graveyard.

Under no circumstances would the State settle for a resolution of the conflict which would compromise the freedom, dignity and integrity of the Tamil people.

This, apparently, is what the Tigers desire. Their dictatorial and coldly cruel conduct indicates that they would prefer to hold the Tamil people in subjection - bound, gagged and paralysed and tamely succumbing to the dictates of the LTTE.

The fact that the school principals had to pay with their lives for opposing the LTTE's child-soldier program and other atrocities and excesses is ample proof that democratic freedoms are continuing to be anathema to the LTTE's ears.

What is, apparently, being visualised by the Tigers is a dispensation where they would be unchallenged despotic rulers but this would not be conceded to them by the Lankan State which owes it to the communities of this land to ensure their absolute well being and democratic freedoms.

In other words, peace would not be realised at any price. Rather it would be peace with dignity and fair play for all.

In the peace which will be negotiated by the Lankan State, all sections of the people would continue to enjoy their rights and freedoms. This truth the Tigers would need to recognize and bear in mind if it is desirous of a negotiated political solution.

The LTTE is, therefore, doing grave harm to the country's peace prospects by engaging in criminal acts and by conducting itself in ways which would undermine the Ceasefire Agreement. It is best that the LTTE bears in mind that terror would not pay.

It does not, however, follow from the foregoing that the State would roll back its policy of trying to engage the LTTE in jump-starting the peace effort. Such efforts would continue because the Government would remain committed to a negotiated settlement. This is not a pacifist course because a just peace would remain a State imperative.

However, international human rights expert, Ian Martin, and former SLMM chief Major General Trond Furuhovde are in Sri Lanka at the time of writing and they would do well to freshly point out to the Tigers the crucial importance of working towards a peace which would be just and empowering as far as all the communities of the land are concerned.

Martin's proposed "human right road map" is a sound idea and we urge him and all those international actors who wish us well, to ensure that such a human rights regime is scrupulously observed by the Tigers.

They should see the absurdity of the LTTE gunning down perceived opponents in flagrant violation of the ceasefire and all norms of humane conduct while feigning to keep the peace.

Clearly, more and sustained pressure should be brought on the LTTE to make it abide by the ceasefire.